Foldable and collapsible container



R E N I m Tm RC OE w w P. om Wu 0 Wm .A WE L B A D L O F Junie 19, 11923.

Filed July 27. 1921 2-Sheets-Sheet 1 fizz/en {or W/LL #1; I44 W000 WORTH "June 19, 1923.

W. W. WOODWORTH CONTAINER Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 2'7. 1921 Patented ulune 19, 1923.

PAT ENT' orrice;

WILLIAM w. woonwoa'rrr, orsourrr BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA;

FOLDABLE AND coLLArsIBLE coNTAINnR.

Application filed July 27, 1921. Serial No. 487,906.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM V. oom WORTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State of California,have invented new and useful Improvements in Foldable and Collapsible Containers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to containers, and especially to foldable crates such as are used 7 for live chickens and other fowl.

vide a crate or container of the character described which consists of a bottom section, a pair of side sections hingedly secured thereto, a pair of removable end sections and a removable cover section; further to pro 'vide a common means for locking the several sections with relation to each other whether assembled or folded.

Other objects will hereinafter appear. The invention consists of the parts and the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the crate. Fig 2 is'a perspective view of the crate showing it in folded position.

Fig. 3 is'a perspective view showing the bottom section of the crate and the two' side sections, one side section being folded.

Fig. 4 is a cross section of the crate taken on. line it- 4, Fig. 1. f

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the end sections. 1 i

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the locking rods.

Referring to the drawings in. detail, A indicates the bottom section of the crate and 2 and 3 a pair of side sections which are hingedly secured to ;the'botto1n section as at 4. Eachside section consists of a pair of'posts or uprights 5 and a pair of longitudlnallyextending bars 6. These bars tie the posts with relation to each other and they form a support for a series of wire rods 7 or any other screen-like material such as chicken wire net or the like. The upper ends of the posts are provided with'perfo-' rations 8 Which are keyhole-shaped as will hereinafter 'be described. Adapted to be placed between the upright posts 5o'f the respective side sections, is a pair of end sections generally indicated at B. Each end section consists of a pair of upright I posts 9 and a pair of connecting bars 10; said bars serving the same function as the bars 6 of the side sections as they form asupport or means of attachment for a series of wire rods 11 or the like. The uprights 9' of the end sections are adapted to fit between the posts or uprights 5 of the side sections as shown in Fig. 4 and the bars 10 connecting the uprights 9 are adapted to. engage the exterior sides or ends of the posts 5, thus forming an interlock between the side and end sections which prevents inward movement of the end sections with relation. to the side sections. The upper ends'of the" posts or uprights 9 are also perforated and the perforations are keyhole like in shape as indicated at 12. Adapted to. forn'r a closure for the crate when assembled cover s'ection' generally indicated at C.. This coversection consists of sides 13, ends 14 and longitudinally extending bars 15; the sides, endsandthe connecting bars 15 being secured together in any suitable manner, for

isra f instance by m ortised joints, nailing or otherwise. The sideand end sections are suftif ciently high to permit the cover asa .whole' to be dropped down over the posts 8 and 9 as shown in Figs. 1 and 4t, and the cover' is secured against further downward move ment by the upper side bars Gand the cross bars 10 of the end sections. The corners of the cover section are reinforced with angle plates 16 as are also the corners of the bottom section. The angle plates 16however, together with the side sections 13, are per.- forated and the perforations are so positioned that they will align with the perforations 8 and 12 formed in the posts 5 and 9 respectively; the perforations in the cover section being alsokey-hole shaped to permit insertion of a pair of locking rods generally indicated at D, see Fig. 6. One endo f each rod is provided with a lug or key-like pro- I In actual practice when a crate is folded, I I I y then be replaced and the rods D re-inserted,

it assumesthe' position shown in Fig. 2, and when assembled or erected, the position shown in Fig l. If the crate is folded and it is desired toassemble or erect the same, it is only necessary to turn the rods l) until the key or lug l8 aligns with the perforations. The rods may then be moved endwise and the cover section is thus released with relation to the bottom section. lVhen removed itis only necessary to raise the side.

sections as shown in Figs. 3 and 4t, andthen to lnsertthe end sections B. The cover may that is the rods are passed through the perforations in the angle plates 16 and the persiderable room when assembled; such room are being returned empty and it is with this being necessaryto permit freedom and head room for the fowl beingshipped. However such room is not required when the crates object in view that the folding structure has been devised;

When crates have been emptied and are to be re-shipped, "it is only necessary to unlock the: rods D and remove the same.

The cover section can'then be liftedvertically and removed with. relation to the side and end sections. lifted verticallyfrom between the side sections and areplaced within the bottom section as shown at 30, in Flg. 3, one end section at each end. The side sections are then folded inwardly and downwardly against the bottom section to assume the horizontal position shown at 40, see Fig. 3; sufficient space being provided between the side sections and the bottom section proper when folded to receive the end sections as indi cated at 30. With the end sections inserted and the" side sections folded. it is only necessary to apply'the cover section as shown in Fig. 2. The cover section is placed directly on top of the bottom section and here secured by again replacingthe locking rods D. The

rods will in this instance pass through the perforatedfangle plates ll secured to they bottom section and the perforations formed in the cover section or the angle plates 16;

" the rods when inserted being locked as previously' described. The crate thus. folded and as sembled forms-an exceedingly compact unit, which in actual practice consumes only here shown is particularly in tended for shipping live chickens and other fowl. Crates of this character consume con- The end. sections are then" one-third the space occupied by the crate when assembled. Three crates can thus be returned in the same amount of space occupied byone crate when assembled.

Another important feature of the present invention is the substantial construction employed, that is the corners of the cover and bottom section are heavily reinforced with angle plates as shown. This ties the bottom.

and cover sections against rack and tear and materially increases their strength. Theassembling of the top and bottom sections, as shown in Fig. 2, is also of importance as it entirely encloses the side and end sections, thus preventing damage of the same during return shipment.

The crates are exceedingly cheap to manufacture and as they maybe used over and over again, it is obvious that economy isobtained, not only as far as wear and tear is concerned, but also as far as freight charges are concerned, as only one-third the space is occupied during the return shipment.

While the crate here shown is more or less specifically illustrated, I wish it understood that variouschanges in form and proportion may be resorted to Within the scope of the appended claims, similarly that the materials'and finish of the several parts employed may be such as the experience and judgment of the manufacturer may dictate or varying uses may demand. Also, while the crate here described is particularly adapted for live chickens and other fowl, it is obvious that it may be used for any other purpose desired.

Havingthus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A device. of the character described comprising a bottom section, a pair of side sections nvotallysecnred thereto and arranged to fold. upon the upper face of the same, a pair of removable end sections, a.

cover section adapted to be supported by the sideand end sections, and locking means extending through the side, end and cover sections respectively and removable therefrom, said bottom section-being provided with means to receive the locking, means when the same has been removed from the said sections.

2. A device of the character vdescribed comprising a bottom section, a pair of side sections pivotally secured thereto,v a pair of removable end sections, a cover section adaptedto be supported by the side and end sections, and a continuous transverse lo'ck-- ingrod disposed at each end and extending through the side, end and cover sections respectively and entirely removable therefrom to engage the bottom section .when. the device is folded. v V e i A device of the character described comprising a bottom section, a pair of side sections pivotally secured thereto, a pair of removable end sections, a cover section adapted to be supported by the side and end sections, a continuous transverse locking rod disposed at each end and extending through the side, end and cover sections respectively and removable therefrom to engage the bot-- tom section when the device is folded, and means for securing said locking rods against removal.

4:. A device of the character described comprising a bottom section, a pair of side sections pivotally secured thereto, an upright post at each end of each side section and forming a part of each side section, a perforation in the upper end of each post, a removable end section insertible between each pair of posts, a post forming a part of each end section and perforated at their upper ends, said end section post aligning with the side section posts, a cover section adapted to be supported by the respective posts, aligning perforations formed in the corners of the cover section, and a locking rod at each end of the cover section adapted to eX- tend throu h the cover section, the side posts and the end posts.

5. A device of the character described comprising a bottom section, a pair of side sections pivotally secured thereto, an upright post at each end of each side section and forming a part of each side section, a perforation in the upper end of each post, a removable end section insertible between each pair of posts, a post forming a part of each end section and perforated at their upper ends, said end section post aligning with the side section posts, a cover sectionandthe end posts, said perforations in the cover, in the side posts and in the end posts being key hole shaped, a key-like lug on each rod adapted to move into and out of register with the keyhole shaped perforations, and a locking means attachable to said lugs.

6. A shipping crate comprising a bottom section, a pair of side sections hingedly secured thereto, and a cover section, a pair of removable end sections adapted to be placed between the bottom and the side sections, When the side sections are folded with rem, tion to the bottom section, a pair of lugs at each end of the bottom section adapted to receive the cover section,p erforations formed in said lugs and in the cover section, and

rods adapted to extend through the perforated portions to secure the cover section with relation to the bottom section.

7. A device of the class described, comprising a bottom section, a pair of side sections pivotally secured thereto and arranged to fold upon the upper face of the same, a

pair of removable end sections adapted to be arranged between the bottom and side sections, a cover section adapted .to be supported by the side and end sections and also to be arranged upon the bottom section when the device is folded, angle plates secured to I the bottom section at the corners thereof and projecting vertically thereat, horizontally disposed angle plates secured to the corners of the cover section, said angle plates being provided with key hole slots and continuous transverse locking rods adapted to be arranged in the said key hole slots and pro vided at one end with a lug and having a handle at the other end, the lugs being adapted to be turned out of alignment with the key hole slots and the handles being of greater length than the slots.

WILLIAM W. WOODWORTH. 

